The Point Loma – OB Democratic Club held a panel discussion on the 30-foot height limit over the weekend, and after a “lively discussion” club members voted unanimously to: “Support championing the 50th anniversary of this historic landmark – by voting No on measure C.”
Panelists Mandy Havlik, Geoff Page, and Linda Lukacs led the discussion during the Zoom meeting, and pretty much all agreed on the bottomline to save the height restriction in building. The club had invited clubmember Dike Anyiwo, Chair of the Midway-Pacific Highway Community Planning Group and Councilmember Jen Campbell and her campaign staff, but they were no-shows.
The club also took another vote on a different issue and released the following:
Vote of No Confidence in Will Rodriguez-Kennedy as Chair of the San Diego County Democratic Party
At the September 25 meeting of the Point Loma Democratic Club, members voted in support of submitting this letter to Central Committee leadership to express our strong position of “No confidence” and opposition to Will Rodriguez-Kennedy resuming duties as Chair of the San Diego County Democratic Party.
We understand he is involved with competing lawsuits in the Superior Court in San Diego, and is also the subject of a related investigation conducted by our Party’s Ethics Committee.
Given the facts made public in recent days: We support retaining Becca Taylor as the “Acting Chair” of the County Party so she can continue to focus on raising funds and electing Democrats in the November 8 midterm election.
We also support waiting until the regularly scheduled elections at the January 2023 meeting to elect a new Chair and other Central Committee leadership positions at that time.
We are especially concerned about Party finances since many of our members and friends have stated firmly that they will not contribute to the Party as long as Will Rodriguez-Kennedy remains Chair.
We are sharing our recommendations for actions in this matter with our sister Democratic Clubs.
We are better than this.
{ 28 comments… read them below or add one }
I find it antithetical to the fundamental idea of a Democratic club to host the Republican candidate running against an incumbent, county party endorsed Democrat at an event. I don’t care about whether Campbell was invited or the nature of the discussion (both completely fine, have a meeting about the height limit, totally in bounds of what they should do as a club) but to give a platform to a GOP member in good standing in a club set up by people who are supposed to be working to defeat Luckas’ party is disgusting. I hope this club will face some sort of censure for this outrageous action.
There ya go again, O..m! What righteousness! It’s too bad we all don’t have the clarity that you seem to have. It was this very club that came out in support of the Campbell recall. Where were you then? You missed that chance to castigate them.
Frank do you believe that DEMOCRATIC clubs should have an open door policy for Republicans to pontificate to their members? This isn’t the town council or a rotary club. It’s a proudly partisan organization. This is, theoretically, a volunteer led group that’s dedicated to Democratic candidates and ideals. Their bylaws related to endorsements say “ Only candidates who are registered Democrats are eligible for Club endorsement.” At no point has this club, as far as I can see, opened the doors to GOPers to speak. Yet there’s Linda Luckas, running against the county party’s endorsed democratic candidate, given a microphone (but NOT given her party identification in any literature about this meeting).
Again, Frank, please tell me – what is the point of a DEMOCRATIC club if Republicans are given the spotlight?
The fact that the county’s party endorsed Campbell over Lori Saldaña is something you and your group should be ashamed of. You have no right getting your panties in a twist over this one meeting after that
ridiculous endorsement.
Geoff, not sure 1) why it’s “my group”. I’m not on the central committee and 2) from what I read on this website, the County Party did not endorse in D2 until after the primary when it was Luckas vs. Campbell (R vs. D) and so your point is factually incorrect.
Again, I don’t know how people are arguing with me that Dem clubs should be providing a microphone to a Republican! This isn’t a non-partisan club! SHE IS A REPUBLICAN CAMPAIGNING AT A DEMOCRATIC CLUB! Should Scott Sherman been allowed to speak there before the June Primary alongside Barbara and Todd? Should Carl DeMaio have been brought in to discuss the coastal zone when he was running for congress against Scott Peters? Should Jordan Marks – Republican running for Assessor – be handed a mic to discuss property taxes when he’s running against Bry? Please tell me where the line is Geoff.
This is actually interesting. I researched this and on the SD Democratic party page it shows endorsements for all kinds of offices. But, for D2, they only listed the candidates with on endorsement, that was the only one without an endorsement. I wonder what happened there?
As for your group, I’m referring to the group you appeared to be a part of because of your criticism.
And, how many votes do you think Lukacs was able to secure at a Democratic club meeting? Unfortunately, she will be getting a lot of Democratic votes because Campbell has been a dishonest disaster.
I meant:
But, for D2, they only listed the candidates with NO, , not “on.”
This Democrat club voted to support the recall of Jen Campbell just 2 years ago.
Are you suggesting they should support Ms. Campbell solely based on her party affiliation, in spite of her history on local issues? Personally I think they should do whatever they see is in the best interest of their membership, and in this case, it’s exploring the alternatives for local representation.
Good on Linda for showing up, that’s half the job. Jen only shows up if there’s glad-handing involved or if it’s to do the mayor’s bidding.
KH at no point do I suggest they should support Jen Campbell above. As I’ve said in this space before, I didn’t vote for her in the primary. I don’t care if they don’t lift a finger to help Campbell win. That’s the prerogative of their membership.
In fact I do suggest that they have every right to have this conversation at the club. It’s clearly within their purview. I would not have said a word about this if everything about this meeting was the same minus Linda’s participation.
It’s HER participation that I have a problem with. She is a Republican, speaking at a Democratic club. What’s the point of having a partisan space if you’re going to bring in a Republican? Every single endorsement on their page is for a registered democrat. They require candidates to be democrats to get their endorsement. They are going against the spirit of their own bylaws by providing a republican a space to get out her message and potentially gather votes. I’m simply pointing out that they’re hosting a Republican who is running against the county party-endorsed Democrat. That’s antithetical to the entire point of a Democratic club and I would say that about ANY race where an R was invited to speak there.
Linda isn’t a subject matter expert on this issue. She’s not a historian or a city planner. She’s a Republican. The OB/PL DEMOCRATIC Club should not be hosting her.
I do agree with you, but regardless of her party affiliation. If that’s the most prominent person they could get to speak on the subject maybe, but you are correct that she doesn’t have any special knowledge on the matter.
Likewise if they wanted to have an informative discussion about trash pickup, I think it would be appropriate to invite those most knowledgeable, regardless of their party or political aspirations.
Sure kh. I think I remember the League of Women Voters for instance presenting at this club. That’s all fine. However bringing in someone who is in no way a subject matter expert, whose only qualification seems to be “running against Jen Campbell” at a Democratic club (against the spirit of nearly all of their bylaws) is gross.
Again this isn’t about the conversation or about any of the other speakers. It’s the fact that a Democratic club should not be hosting a Republican candidate for elected office. Period. It’s counter to what the purpose of a Democratic club and everyone who helped make this happen should be ashamed of themselves, simply showing that their hate for Campbell overcomes their professed values.
The 30-foot height limit is a NONPARTISAN issue. Anyone wanting to support the fight to defeat the effort to remove it is welcome.
Sure and this conversation, with all of these participants, would make a ton of sense in any other venue than a DEMOCRATIC CLUB where the REPUBLICAN is running in a race against a COUNTY PARTY endorsed candidate! If it was just you and Mandy and Kathy,
Hit enter too soon…
If it was just the three of you, fine. But this goes directly against the stated mission of the OB/PL Dem Club. Don’t take my word for it, read their mission statement –
We assist the Democratic Party by:
Being informed on issues of interest to Democrats
Helping to elect Democrats to public office
Providing a forum for Democratic speakers and the discussion of issues of interest to Democrats.
This may be a non-partisan issue but this is not a non-partisan club. Bringing in a Republican to speak goes directly against the mission of the organization. I don’t know how much more clear this can be.
She may not be an expert but if she pulls in Republicans to vote against the measure then she is welcome.
Yes that would be helpful to the 30-ft cause, but she isn’t going to accomplish that a Dems meeting. Her presence for this doesn’t seem to serve much purpose other than a campaign opportunity.
Spirit of bylaws is subjective, bylaws are not. I don’t think a Democrat club should be expressly prohibited from hosting republican candidate. D or R (or NPP) is just a form completed online, it doesn’t necessarily define whether the candidate will serve Democrats’ priorities in the community. They should be free to exercise some discretion there.
No, that is true, but her presence there and what she has said publicly when asked, are messages to Republicans that this should not be a political issue. Not much of anything can be accomplished in a meeting like this but the account of it later reaches a broader audience.
From the OB/PL Dems website –
We assist the “Democratic Party by:
Being informed on issues of interest to Democrats
Helping to elect Democrats to public office
Providing a forum for Democratic speakers and the discussion of issues of interest to Democrats.”
Please tell me how giving a Republican, who is running against a County Party endorsed Democrat, a microphone fits that mission.
You seem to bring that up a lot. You aren’t going to change anyone’s mind so maybe at this point it’s time to move on. Plus as Geoff said, it’s a non partisan issue. I know people on both sides of the issue from both parties but yes I know I know it’s the “Democratic Club”. You’re beating a dead horse.
Thanks Chris; it’s the repetitiveness that gets me.
I thought City Council seats were non-partisan.
I wish. The only thing non-partisan these days will be the printed ballot itself.
Expect the campaigning, mailers, and funding to be overtly partisan. Campbell’s team jumped the shark on that in 2018 when they sent out mailers with Zapf and Trump on them. What the hell does Trump have to do with san diego city council? Absolutely nothing! Her campaign platform is “The other person is a Republican”. These sort of games only work when the voters play into it. Vote wisely.
Is Cathy Kenton a Republican? Cathy was the Midway-Pacific Highway Community Planning Group Chair when she spoke at The Point Loma – OB Democratic Club before on “E”. She seems to have a lot of vested interests in Midway and Sports Arena!
The term “Coastal Republicans” used to be used a lot. I welcome their votes when it comes to protecting the coast and our wonderful communities. The 30 ft. Coastal Hight Limit is a nonpartisan issue.
Hey Kathleen, is Cathy Kenton running for City Council?
Again, my issue isn’t this conversation. Have it all you’d like in any other space you’d like! However, Republican Linda Linda’s inclusion in this conversation – on an issue where she isn’t a subject matter expert but is clearly there soft campaigning against a county party-endorsed Democratic candidate – in a partisan, Democratic space is the problem.
You are simply exhibiting the complete intransience that the Republicans exhibit. Democrats should be better.
From their website –
“Club membership is open to all registered Democrats.
Associate memberships are also available for non-registered Democrats who intend to register when they become eligible or are registered as No Party Preference (NPP).”
To vote in the club you have to be a Dem. To be endorsed by this club you have to be a Dem. To SPEAK at this club you have to be a Dem (or at least you have to be according to their website – https://pointlomadem.org/). Don’t tell me I’m showing intransience. I’m simply asking that this club follow its own mission statement and guiding principles!
Where does it say that you have to be a Democrat to speak at a meeting?
The club has no requirement on having to be a Democrat to speak at a meeting — it’d be sad to conceive of a world where we only speak with and listen to members of our own Party.
Sure, we only endorse Democrats — for obvious reasons — but for a broad discussion of an important local issue we’ve always reached out across the political spectrum. Readers may want to check out discussions we’ve had on “Short Term Rentals, WTF? – What’s the Future?” and “A History of the 30 foot Height Limit in Point Loma & OB” with a range of voices (some of which stayed for the whole discussion).
Our sister Democratic Club in Coronado recently hosted bi-partisan forums for their School District and City Council elections, you can catch their informed discussions here:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPO-VJQFc_driX7UBktkucA/videos
and here are the links to some of ours:
https://pointlomadem.org/2015/08/10/notes-from-july-meeting-short-term-rentals-wtf-whats-the-future/
https://pointlomadem.org/2020/10/22/oct-25-a-history-of-the-30-foot-height-limit-in-point-loma-ob/